Can opener



May 19, 1953 E. MAYO ET AL CAN OPENER Filed Oct. 16, 1950 Patented May19, 1953 CAN OPENER Edward Mayo and Henry F. Goon, Greenville, Miss.

Application October 16, 1950, Serial No. 190,368

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in canopeners and more particularly to a can punch.

An important object of the invention is to provide a lever operatedcutter or punch pivotally carried by a base bracket on which a can issupported to swing the cutter downwardly on top of the can.

Another object is to provide a pair of base brackets of differentheights to support cans of different sizes and pivotally connecting thebrackets to each other at their upper ends for selectively swinging intoand out of can supporting position, and also pivoting the lever on thesame pivot with the brackets for effectively cutting or punching eithertype of can.

A further object is to provide a device of this character of simple andpractical construction, which is efficient and reliable in operation,relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for thepurposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein likenumerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view showing the short base bracket inuse;

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the long base bracket in use, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary group perspective view of the pivotsfor the pair of base brackets and lever.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, where in for the purpose ofillustration we have disclosed a preferred embodiment of our invention,the numeral 5 designates a main base bracket composed of a strap metalbar 6 and having a right angle lug I at its lower end on which a can 8is adapted to rest and with the bar positioned vertically at one side ofthe can.

The upper portion of main bar 6 is formed with a vertical slot 9 betweena pair of parallel strips I!) having aligned eyes I l at their upperends in which a pivot pin I2 is placed.

A short base bracket 13 also constructed of a strap metal bar I4 ispositioned in slot 9 and is formed with a right angle lug H5 at itslower end and an eye l6 at its upper end swingably mounted on pivot pinI2 between eyes H. The lug I5 is adapted to support shorter cans ll sothat when either a short can is supported on lug 15 or a taller can issupported on lug 1 the tops of the cans will be substantially in thehorizontal plane of pivot pin 12 and eyes I I and I6.

A lever I8 of strap metal is formed with a curved punch or prong H3 atone end, at the base of which and at each edge is formed aligned eyes 20which are also pivoted on pin l2 outwardly of eyes I I so that prong l6overlies the top of a can supported on either lug l or lug 15.

In the operation of the device, with a can placed in position on one ofthe lugs, the lower end of lever 18 is swung upwardly forcing prong l9downwardly to punch an opening in the top of the can.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of thedevice will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A moredetailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shownand described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same issusceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of theinvention as herein described and the scope of the appended claim.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A can opener comprising a main can supporting bracket including a strapmetal bar adapted for positioning vertically at one side of a can, a lugat the lower end of the bar underlying the can, said bar having avertical slot at its upper end forming a pair of upstanding parallelstrips, aligned eyes at the upper ends of the strips, a pivot pinpositioned in said eyes, a second can supporting bracket formed of astrap metal bar having an eye at its upper end, swingably supported onthe pin between said first named eyes for swinging movement of thesecond bracket inwardly and outwardly in said slot, a can supporting lugon the lower end of said second bracket, a strap metal lever having apair of eyes at its side adjacent one end also pivoted on said pinoutwardly of said first named eyes for vertical swinging movement, and aprong at one end of the lever projecting upwardly above the bracket andcurved inwardly to overlie the top of a can supported on either of saidlugs.

EDWARD MAYO. HENRY F. GOON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

